Life In The Dinosaur Media

I ought to point out James Taranto's catch of a better (if still on the weak side) Obama statement on Iran, which was inexplicably cut out of the actual CBS broadcast from last Friday. Like Taranto (and Allahpundit, who uncovered the quotes in the online transcript), I have to wonder just why CBS buried the actual story they had literally in their hands. Were they that clueless? Did the White House ask for those lines to be cut in the name of "not meddling?" Either way, whomever left out Obama's tenative statements of support for the protestors looked pretty dumb when the White House released that (still-milquetoast) press release after the Iranian goon squads did their thing on Sunday.

Pitney asked his question, as arranged. Reporters in the room looked at each other in amazement at the stagecraft they had just witnessed. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel looked at the first row of TV correspondents and grinned.

The reporters are “amazed” that Obama is rigging a question or two? After greasing the treads for their candidate by averting their gaze from potentially immense news stories, smearing his opponents, and spinning everything in his favor they’re surprised when he doesn’t play by what’s left of their rules? Pleeze.

Still, the private agreement — to call on a questioner under condition that he ask his question on a particular topic in a particular way — is very close to what the left justifiably deplored when there were accusations (denied by the media) that the White House was pre-screening reporters and their questions before news conferences.

And Pitney was not the only “plant” at yesterday’s [sic] news conference. Later, Obama passed over the usual suspects to call on Macarena Vidal of the Spanish-language E.F.E. news agency. The White House called Vidal in advance to see if she was coming and arranged for her to sit in a seat usually assigned to a financial trade publication. “Okay, Macarena Vidal,” Obama called out, as the regulars adopted baffled expressions. She asked about Chile and Colombia. [emphasis added]

The irony is delicious. Did the media lapdogs really think that Obama would respect them in the morning? Even this bit of favoritism and flagrant violation of their vestigial integrity won’t make honest men and women of them. They’ll continue to put out for their Sugardaddy-in-Chief.

Even as it drags down their ratings and readership, Tom Blumer writes as he reviews the latest TV numbers, noting that "All-praise-Dear-Leader, all-the-time doesn't seem to be working out very well at the Big 3 Networks."